Boot and shoe having inflated air cushion inserted in the sole and heel thereof



Patented sept. 2, 1924.

VUNITED STATES PATENT Boor AND sHoE HAVING INFLATED .ein cUsHioN INSERTEDv 1N THE soLEAND THEREOF.

Application filed vAugust 21, 19,22. Serial No. 583,3()1.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, CHARLES CooNnY, a subject of the King of Great' Britain, residing at 1 Metcalfe Terrace, I-Iarolds Cross., Dublin Co., Dublin, Ireland, have invented certain newY and useful Improvements in Boots and Shoes Having Inlated Air Cushions Inserted in the Soles and Heels Thereof, tion. 4

This invention relates to boots and shoes having inflated air cushions inserted -in the soles and heels thereof; thev objects being to make walking easier' and 'more'comfortable; to reduce foot Afatigue by absorbing the shocksv hitherto? experienced ini nonfinflated soles vand heels 'andto enable boots and shoes to be made lighter in weightfand to wear longerv owing to minimum shocks on the tread surfaces'of said soles and heels; and the invention may be worn in the form of overshoes, if desired.

The invention broadly consists in boots and shoes having inflated air cushions in the soles and heels thereof. For this purpose, a compartment is formed inside the sole and inside the heel to receive in each case said inflatable air cushion or chamber; and over these air cushions orchambers there is positioned a thin flexible insole bearing on top of each air cushion or chamber so that when in use the pneumatic effect is imparted to the heel andthe sole of the foot of the wearer. Between each inflated air cushion aforesaid there is an intermediate and resilient member adapted to form an arohedsupport for the arch yof the foot of the wearer, this resilient member being also covered by lsaid thin flexible insole, and sol forming a comfortable and resilient and waterproof support for the foot'arch without interfering with the functioning of the inflated aircushions aforesaid. Means are also provided for inflating the air cushions or chambers in situ, meansbeing also provided for inserting these air cushions or chambers into their respective compartments and for withdrawing them from their respective compartments.

My said invention is more fully described hereinafter and an example of its application is illustrated in the accompanying eX- planatory drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional elevation of the in# of which lthe following is a lspecificaventionasappliedto a boot or shoe or over-,-

shoe in which closing flaps are shown` in theirpartly raisedpositionsr for the sake;v` f of clearness. Fig. 2 vshows a Fig. 1 with the vupper removed.

The-sole'l is bounded by a raised border@r which serves to form a vcompartment 735i-n-l side th'e sole 1, to receive an lniiatable air or chamber- 7, 'Over the air chambers 4 plan lview of@ cushion-or chamber 4; and which similarly serves to form a'compartment 5' inside theheel 6 for receivingan inflatable air cushion and 7lthere is positioned a thin flexible insole 8 which is secured to the top of the border 2 by sewing -or Vnailing thereto;` and yin turn the upper 9 is turned in in the usual 'manner altithe llast'lO and firmly secured. 1n any known and approved' manner to the insolefS, 'tof'the border 2 and to the sole 1; but'before this operation is performed the resilient'm'emberjll is inserted as an intermediate member between the compartments 3 and' and may-be nailed or sewn or stuck on to the arched'portion 12 of the sole so forming an arched supportjfor the arch of the foot, the resilient or rubber member 11 being also covered by the thin AieXible insole 8, chambers 4 and 7 in situ, consist of stiffening reinforcement plates 13 and 14respec- 'tively each'provided with air p'ump'attachments '15y and 16 respectively attached to each respective air chamber 4 and 7 by screwing into the respective plates 13 and 14,the attachments or nipples 15 and 16 being i provided with washers 17 and 18Y screwed or vrivetedl thereto and superimposed on the respective'aircushions 4 and 7 to make yan air-tight'junction. The nip-ples 15 and 16 are internally bored and threaded at 19 and 20 tov receive the nozzle end of an'air pump The means for inlating'the air vfor pumping up the air chambers 4y and 7. The plates 13 and 14 formbridge-pieces f as more fully'set' forth hereinafter. In the insole 8 there is an opening 21 for 4insertion of withdrawal of the air chamber 4,

and another opening 22 forY insertion or `withdrawal ofthev airfchamber 7, the openings 21 and 22 being flap-olosed by respective'flap's 21S-and v24 whichfor the sakev of clearness are shown partly' opened' in 1 but whichnormally lie level or Hush with .thevtop of the'insole- 8 out of Vwhich they are formedintegral by slitting out of the insole 8 as shown in Fig. 2. The openings 21 and 2-2 are bridged on their undersides by means of the respective bridge-pieces 13 and 14 and thus upward displacement of the air chambers 4 and 7 through the openings 21 and 22 is prevented'when under air pres- The bridge-pieces 13 and 14 are indented at 25 and 26 directly under corresponding flaps 23 and 24 so as to allow the latter to lie fia-t and fill in the openings 21 and 22. The bridge-pieces 13 and 14 are Aeach provided with a flap-closing valve 27 and 28 respectively, preferably formed out of `rubber and preferably lbacked by means of a thin spring steel plate 29 and 30 respectively, the whole being suitably secured to the respective plates 13 and 14 by means of rivets 31 and 32, the steel plates 29 and 30 tending to keep each valve closed over the respective openings at 19 and 20 while permitting of temporary valve displacementy on each stroke of the air pump. Any other suitable type of valve might be used if found convenient. The air chambers 4 and 7 are formed out of rubber or other suitable flexible material; and in operation the flaps 23 and 24am-,raised up and the air cushions 4 and 7 are inserted through the openings 21 and 22 into the respective compartments 3 and 5, the plates or bridgepieces 13 and 14 being inserted at the top portion of each respective air chamber directly under and straddling the openings 21 and 22. A suitable air pump is no w connected in turn to the respective nipples at 19 and 2() and air is pumped into each air chamber until the insolel 8 is under pressure or slightly raised when the air pump is disconnected. The footwear is now ready to be wornA and might be provided with the known kind of insole over the insole 8, if desired. The sole 1, the border-2, the kheel 6, the arch 12, the insole S and the upper 9 may be manufactured out of leather, or other suitable material might be used. ln addition to theV advantages of my invention, as already enumera-ted` the air chambers 4 and '7 will prevent damp or water from reaching the foot of the wearer through the sole 1, and on account of the air spaces will act as non-conductors of heat and will thus serve to preserve the normal temperature of the feet of theiwearer even under cold weather conditions. Another advantage of my invention is that in case the footwear happens to be somewhat too large or too small in the verticaly plane dimensions when under air pressure, the air pressure may be increased or decreased to arrive at the most comfortable size of footwear to suit the wearer, something which cannot be accomplished with ordinary footwear without the addition of one or more insoles'or their subtraction if already fitted.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A boot or shoe having a compartment inside its sole, in said'compartment an inflatable air cushion, a compartment inside said heel, in the last stated compartment an inflatable air cushion, and over said air cushions a thin flexible insole attached to the sole proper and to the shoe, spaced between said inflatable air cushions an intermediate and resilient member under said flexible insole and forming an arched support for the arch of the foot, means to permit inflating said inflatable air cushions in situ, consisting of a stiffening reinforcement plate Aattached to each inflatable air cushion and being provided with `an airpump attachment, said reinforcement plate being adapted to form a bridge-piece under said insole, and means to permit said inflatable air cushions into their respective compartments and withdrawal therefrom, consisting of a flap-closed opening in said flexible insole over each compartment aforesaid, each opening aforesaid being bridged on its underside by means of a bridge-piece aforesaid and so preventing displacement of said inflatable air cushions through each respective opening in said insole when under air pressure.

2. A boot or shoe havinga compartment inside its sole, in said compartment an inflatable air cushion, a compartment inside said heel, in the last stated compartment an inflatable air cushion,` and over said air cushions a thin flexible insole attached to the sole proper and to the shoe, spaced bctween said inflatable *air cushions an intermediate and resilientV member. under said flexible insole and forming Ian arched support for the arch of the foot, means to permit inflating said inflatable-air cushionsin situ, consisting of a stifl'ening reinforcement plate attached to each inflatable air cushion and being` providedv with an air pump attachment, said reinforcement plate being adapted to form a bridge-piece under said insole, and means to permit said inflatable air cushions into their respective compartments and withdrawal therefrom, consisting of a flap-'closed opening in said flexible insole over each compartment aforesaid, each opening aforesaid beingbridged" on its underside by mea-ns of a bridge-piece aforesaid and so preventing displacement lof saidA inflatable air cushions through eachrespective opening in said insole when under vair pressure,l1n each bridge-piece aforesaid an indent directly under its corresponding flap` aforesaid, on the under-side of .each bridgepiece aforesaid a flap-closing valve.

Signed by me this 9th day of August, 1922.

` Y CHARLES COONEY. Witnesses W. E. DoYLE, O, M, MoGRYsTAL. 

